Man gets 18 months for fake report of possible hijacking

HONOLULU — A judge handed an 18-month prison sentence to a Hawaii man who admitted he falsely reported a possible airplane hijacking because he was drunk and trying to get even with a roommate who had put fish guts in his truck.

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By The Associated Press

MailTribune.com

By The Associated Press

Posted Jan. 24, 2014 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jan 24, 2014 at 2:30 AM

By The Associated Press

Posted Jan. 24, 2014 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jan 24, 2014 at 2:30 AM

» Social News

HONOLULU — A judge handed an 18-month prison sentence to a Hawaii man who admitted he falsely reported a possible airplane hijacking because he was drunk and trying to get even with a roommate who had put fish guts in his truck.

Timothy David Hershman said in federal court Thursday that he blames the call on stupidity, anger and alcoholism.

Hershman was drunk when called the FBI last year saying another man was going to hijack an Alaska Airlines flight, said Hershman's public defender, Alexander Silvert. Authorities determined the other man was aboard an Alaska Airlines flight from Kona to Seattle, and after questioning him for two hours deemed the call a hoax.

"He's an alcoholic and he gets stupid when gets drunk," Silvert said, explaining that Hershman, 60, wanted to get back at the roommate. Prosecutors have said Hershman confessed to making the call from a pay phone in Kona because of the fish guts incident.

Hershman's hoax call prompted two Oregon National Guard F-15 fighter jets to escort the flight to Seattle in a mission that took nearly four hours. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar filed a motion requesting that Hershman pay about $72,000 to reimburse the government for fuel and other expenses.

U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright denied the request Thursday, saying Hershman, who is now homeless and receives $1,300 a month in Social Security benefits, can't afford to pay any restitution.

Seabright said the hoax call "had potential serious consequences."

In the end, Hershman got the revenge he was seeking against the man, who was detained, Seabright said. "He was essentially in custody because of this phone call," the judge said.